CORE VALUES - Greengrocer Robert Burnhams in Smelly Alley was happy to take euros for apples

READING traders have embraced the euro with open arms despite many continental chain stores in Britain shunning the new currency.

Traditional Reading firms like Jacksons and greengrocers Dudmans have taken the brave step of accepting the euro, even though it is not technically legal tender - ie no-one is obliged

to accept it - and the UK is yet to join the

eurozone.

But international names including Prêt à Manger, McDonald's and Spanish fashion fave Zara are refusing the new notes.

Maureen Scott, director of Reading's traditional department store Jacksons, said it was shrewd business sense to accept the euro at the store, which was established in 1875 and has seen changes including decimalisation and computerisation.

Mrs Scott said: "The reason we decided to take the euro is because we don't want to turn anyone away - it's not good business is it? Money is money!

"When we went to the bank for advice about the euro they laughed at us and said ‘you wouldn't go into WH Smiths and pay in francs would you? - forget about it.'

"But people will want to spend in euros. We've got to get used to it - it's inevitable that the UK will join the euro."

Robert Burnhams, manager of Dudmans, in Smelly Alley, who happily sold us a bag of English apples for one euro, said he had no problem with taking euros as long as he knew the day's exchange rate.

Martin Salter, Reading West MP, said the findings augured well for the euro's future in the UK.

He said: "I would expect the major chain stores to accept euros but I must admit it does surprise me that Jacksons - a firm synonymous with old England - has decided to take the currency, and that could be taken as a sign of things to come.

"I think people will soon get used to using the euro particularly when they come back from holidays abroad."